EU Commission proposes new waste targets

04 July, 2014

The European Commission adopted Thursday proposals with view to “turn Europe into a more circular economy and boost recycling in the Member States”.

Achieving the new waste targets would create 580.000 new jobs compared to today`s performance, while making Europe more competitive and reducing demand for costly scarce resources, a press release of the Commission said, adding that the proposals also mean lower environmental impacts and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

In particular, the plans ask Europeans to recycle 70% of municipal waste and 80% of packaging waste by 2030, and ban burying recyclable waste in landfill as of 2025. A target is also included for reducing marine litter along with food waste reduction objectives.

Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik stressed that “if we want to compete we have to get the most out of our resources, and that means recycling them back into productive use, not burying them in landfills as waste. Moving to a circular economy is not only possible, it is profitable, but that does not mean it will happen without the right policies. The 2030 targets that we propose are about taking action today to accelerate the transition to a circular economy and exploiting the business and job opportunities it offers”.

The legislative proposals will now pass to the Council and the European Parliament.